Rob Seaman wrote:
>There has been an attempt to redefine the language for years, since
>an earlier revision of ITU-R TF.460 was edited to remove the original
>language:
>
>       "GMT may be regarded as the general equivalent of UT."

This is actually edited from earlier language.  It goes back at least to
the IAU 1970 <http://www.iau.org/static/resolutions/IAU1970_French.pdf>
commission 31 resolutions.  Resolution 6.2 reads:

        The terms `G.M.T.' and `Z' are accepted as the general equivalents
        of UTC in navigation and communications.

Seems to me that it makes rather more sense with this contextual
qualifier.  The standard could be improved by reintroducing some
qualification here, though I think we could do better than just "in
navigation and communications".  Concrete project, if anyone wants to
tackle it: consensus statement on the usage and interpretation of the
initialism "GMT" in light of the ready availability of UTC.

-zefram
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